Chicken feeder



Nov. 1, 1932.

' R. L. WI DNEY CHICKEN FEEDER Filed June 22. 1929 Patented Nov. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES,

I nnnrEL'wrmvnv, or LA nears, ILLINOIS CHICKEN FEEDER Application filed June 22,

This invention-relates to improvements in chicken feeding devices and pertains particularly to a feeding trough having associated therewith a guard bar designed to pre- Ej vent the chickens from jumping into the trough and contaminating the food and also so constructed as to prevent the chickens from perching thereon over the feed trough.

Another object of the invention is to pro- 1 vide in a feed trough a guard of the above described-character which is so formed that no sharp edges or angular surfaces are provided with which the heads of the fowlwill come in contact, thus protecting the fowl from injury and also protecting their plum- A further object of the invention is to provide a feed pan wherein the longitudinal edges are directed upwardly and inwardly so that no sharp edges are formed about the trough upon which the fowl might become injured and at the same time the inturned portions prevent the food from being scratched about and wasted.

The invention will .be' best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of the present invention wit-h the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of the feeder embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken upon the line 2+2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in end elevation of a modified form of guard bar for the feeder.

Figure 4. is a view in side elevation of one end of the modified guard bar.

Referring more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1 indicates the feed 1929. Serial No. 373,007.

trough as a whole, the same being preferably formed of sheet metal of suitable weight. As shown, the trough is relatively long and is of rectangular cross sectional design having the bottom 2 and the relatively low longitudinal sides 3, each of which is turned at its upper edge to form the inwardly and upwardly inclined flange l, the free edge of which is turned back against the underface,

in the manner shown, to form a smooth round to edge surface. This turning back of the flange portion 4 also makes the same of double thickness and consequently addsmaterially to the strength of the flange.

At each end of the trough there is formed a relatively high end wall 5, they side edges ofwhich are inclined or convergent upwardly, as shown. These end walls 5 are slightly flexible so that they may be bent outwardly when a guard bar, hereinafter described, is placed 7 in position therebetween to permit of the extension of supporting trunnions for the bar through one of the apertures 6 formed in the wall. As shown, each wall is provided with a centrally positioned vertically arranged row of these apertures 6 so that vertical adj ustment of the guard bar may be made.

One form of guard bar which is mounted between the upper portions of the end walls 5 of the trough is indicated as a whole by the numeral 7. This form of bar comprises the two connected and parallel cylinders 8 which are formed by rolling in opposite directions the longitudinal edges of a sheet of metal. At each end of the bar 7 there is' secured a trunnion 9 which projects from the end of the bar longitudinally thereof. These trunnion's are positioned a little to one side of the longitudinal center of the bar so that it will normally assume the position shown, that is, one of the cylinders will be above the other.

In Figures 3 and 4 there is shown a modifled form of guard bar, this form, being indicated as a whole by the'numeral 10.

The bar 10 is also formed of a single sheet of material but in this form one edge only of the sheet is rolled to form the cylinder 11, the other edgebeing left to extend straight from the side of the cylinder, in the manner shown,

this straight edge being indicated by the numeral 12. A trunnion pin 13 is secured to each end of the bar 10 at the angle formed between the cylinder 11 and the straight edge portion 1:2, these trunnions being extended from the end of the bar for engagement in the apertures 6 in the end walls 5 of the feed trough.

In placing the bars 7 or 10 in position one of the supporting trunnions therefor is extended through an aperture in'one'end wall and the opposite end wall is then sprung out sufficiently to permit the trunnion upon the other end of the bar to be arranged in position where it will extend through one of the apertures thereof when the wall is permitted to come back to position.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that with a poultry feed trough of the character herein described poultry can feed therefrom without danger of injuring their heads upon the guard bar as only smooth round surfaces are presented thereby. At the same time the bars are so mounted that any attempt of the poultry to perch thereon will be frustrated by the swinging of the bar upon its pivotal supports.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A poultry feed trough having opposed upstanding end walls, and an oscillatable guard bar mounted therebetween, said bar having the lower portion thereof of cylindrical design. V

2. In a poultry feed trough, an elongated receptacle having relatively low longitudinal side walls each having an inwardly and upwardly projecting top flange having its free edge turned back to form a reinforced edge, and walls extending a substantial distance be- 0nd the side. walls of .the receptacle each aving a vertical series of apertures formed therethrough, and a guard bar disposed longitudinally of the receptacle between the end walls and carryingtrunnions adapted to adjus'tably engage in the apertures ofthe end walls, said guard bar having the lower edge thereof of substantially cylindrical cross sectional design.

8. In a poultry feeder, a trough having relatively low side walls, relatively high end Walls having their side edges above the adj acent side walls convergent upwardly, each of said end walls having a plurality of apertures formed vertically therethrough and centrally thereof, and a guard element extending longitudinally of the trough between the side walls comprising a bar of integrally connected substantially parallel cylinders having a supporting trunnion at each end adapted to adjustably engage in the apertures of an adjacent wall.

4. In a poultry feeder, a trough having relatively low side walls, relatively high end walls having their side edges above the adj acent side walls convergent upwardly, each of said end walls having a plurality of apertures formed vertically therethrough and centrally thereof, and a guard element extending longitudinally of the trough between the side walls comprising a bar of integrally connected substantially parallel cylinders having a supporting trunnion at each end adapted to adj ustably engage in the apertures of an adjacent wall,said trunnions being disposed "at one side of thelongitudinal center of the bar to maintain the cylinders in superimposed poultry feeder, comprising a bar formed of integrally connected substantially parallel cylinders, and a supporting trunnion at each end of the bar for. engaging supporting bodies, said trunnions being located at one side of the longitudinal center of the bar to cause the cylinders to normally seek a superposed relation.

7. An overbalancing guard for a poultry feeder, comprising a body of tubular cross section, having a longitudinally extending flange projecting therefrom and formed integrally therewith, and trunnions at the ends of the body for engagement with supporting structures arranged to support the guard of a feeder. i i

8. An overbalancing guard for poultry feeders, comprising a single elongated body of metal having the longitudinal edges rolled inwardly in opposite directions to form two parallel connected cylindrical portions joined by an oblique portion, and a trunnion mounted upon each end of the body between the said oblique portion and one of the cylindrical portions, said trunnions pivotally supporting the guard in position between a pair of supporting members of a feed trough.

9. An overbalancing guard for a poultry feed trough, comprislng an elongated sheet 1 metal body having one longitudinal edge rolled to form a cylinder, the other longitudinal edge extending from and radially of the cylinder, and trunnions secured to the ,7

ends of the guards at the point of jointure between the said cylindrical portion and the straight portion of the body extending therefrom, said trunnions being designed to support the guard-between a pair of uprights of a feedtrough.

10. A rotary overbalancing guard for poultry feeding troughs, comprising a bar formed in two longitudinally extending portions one thereof consisting of a relatively thin plate-like strip and the other formed integral with one longitudinal edge of said strip and being of materially greater circumsoription than the first mentioned portion, and supporting trunnions extending from the ends of the bar at the points of joinder between the said two portions for pivotally supporting the bar horizontally between supporting bodies, said second mentioned portion operating to maintain the free edge of the first mentioned portion directed upwardly.

11. A guard for feed trough, comprising an elongated body of initially fiat material having one longitudinal edge rolled to form a cylinder, the cylinder forming an angle with an unrolled fiat portion of the body, and a pair of supporting trunnions each lying and secured in the said angle adjacent an end of the guard and projecting beyond the adjacent end for engagement with a support.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

RALPH L. WIDNEY. 

